A First Pattern NSKK Crash Helmet by Berolina

A First Pattern NSKK Crash Helmet by Berolina - Molded, smooth, blackened leather helmet with raised, padded, protective bars running horizontally around the helmets bottom edge, and another one running from front to back over the crown top. Helmet has two ventilation grommets with screen to each side of crown. Front center of helmet has a 1st pattern NSKK stylized national eagle. The eagle is still very firmly held in its correct position. Helmet has a short blackened leather visor stitched to front. Side panels have been neatly removed, a period alternation as the leather edges show wear and toning. Likely done by the owner. Interior of helmet has a tan leather, nine finger liner. Liner is fully intact with all fingers and original tie string. Liner is size ink stamped, "56" and still retains its original Berolina label. Very nice example.

Constructed with an Army green wool exterior, the front with a patch housing the cockade in a slightly darker green versus the rest of the cap, fold down panels with downward scallops to the front and forward sides, reinforced eyelets in olive green threading on either side, with two rising peaks forming a valley between the two panels. Sewn in place on the peak on the front is an Army (Heer) eagle in gray and sage green machine embroidery, illustrating a right-facing spread-winged eagle, its talons gripping a wreathed swastika below, machine embroidered tri-colour cockade on a sage green background sewn in place on the fold down flap below the eagle. The interior is lined in a light gray rayon and is unmarked. The cap measures 100 mm x 290 mm, with evidence of mothing throughout on the exterior, with the areas covered by the fold down flaps retaining their original wool look, one small soiling mark on the rayon lining, the stitching intact, very fine.

Multi-piece construction, fabricated from white cotton, machine embroidered National tri-colour cockade sewn in place on the front, a three-coloured embroidered eagle sewn in place above on the crown, two eyelets placed on either side for ventilation, the underside of the visor lined in matching white cotton, the inside of the cap is lined in champagne-coloured rayon with a personalized naming patch sewn in place on the left side near the front inscribed "GERLITZER" in black ink, 180 mm x 260 mm x 70 mm, missing one eyelet on the left side, the visor exhibiting multiple cracking, the cap with overall soiling from active use, fine.

Of the highest wartime quality and attention to detail, this Heer General's visor exhibits three rows of gilt silver bullion wire piping, with the body of the cap fabricated from Heer (Army) green doeskin wool, featuring the classic high peak and rounded saddle-shaped sides. It has a forest green wool band around its circumference, which supports a three-piece constructed aluminum cockade on the front. The cockade has a painted black base incorporating a silvered ring and red felt centre, surrounded by a silvered wreath of oak leaves and acorns. Immediately above on the crown is an intricately detailed aluminum Germany Army (Heer) cap eagle insignia. The visor is black vulcanfibre with a rolled gold-coloured bullion cord above, in two rows, knotted in the appropriate-style on the sides and held in position via pebbled gilt posts on both sides. The underside of the visor is synthetic, crosshatched and finished in a deep tan. The tan sweatband is leather, with the two ends sewn together at the seam, with ornately patterned ventilation holes at the front, the underside size stamped in black ink "56" near the seam. There is a black velvet buffer between the sweatband and the body of the cap. The dome itself has a tan rayon liner, with a clear moisture shield over the silver inked manufacturer's stamp, marked "Die Deutsche Qualitätsmütze" (The German Quality Cap) over an oval incorporating a circle with three staggered cubes with the letters "GAH", inscribed "FABRIK-" at the left and "MARKE" at the right" (Factory Trade Mark) and maker marked "G.A. Hoffmann / BERLIN SW. 29 / Gneisenaustr. 33", date stamped in black ink "1937" inside a rectangular frame above and size stamped "57" below, and is unnamed. Overall, it measures 245 mm x 270 mm x 140 mm in height. The cap eagle and wreath exhibits scattered silvering wear, the stitching on the leather sweatband shows very light wear and has come away from the body of the cap at the front, however, it continues to exhibit smooth quality in the wool, plus quality workmanship, is very clean and free of staining and mothing, with no crazing evident in the vulcanfibre visor, the moisture shield intact and maintaining its original period look. Better than extremely fine.

An excellent example of a NSKK (Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps Feldmütze, constructed of a fine quality black wool exterior, with fold-down panels featuring gently sloping, downward scallops to the front and sides. On the left sides of the cap is a machine embroidered hand attached NSKK inverted triangular insignia in silver aluminum bullion wire with green and black embroidery, illustrating an eagle perched on top of a wreath, with a ribbon banner above inscribed “NSKK”. In addition, the cap features two vertically oriented (one on-top of the other) silvered aluminum buttons on the front, with a NSKK insignia in high relief, and maker marked “RZM M5/82” for “Steinhauer & Lück, Lüdenscheid” on the reverse. The inside of the side cap is lined in plain black rayon/cotton blended liner, with a RZM production tag (sadly illegible). The cap measures 280 mm x 123 mm, and is overall very well preserved without signs of mothing or damage. Extremely fine condition.